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Reflections – on life, glossy magazines and performing in a foreign langauage.

Reflections,
on life, glossy magazines, and performing in a foreign language.

Greetings one and all. I wish you all the luck possible for 2014.
2013 presented me with one huge setback. Some emotionally disconnected individual burnt our 11 metre converted school bus in Australia. It was our home. To top off the incident the insurance company had sent us the wrong papers. So it turned out we were not insured. Apparently it is our responsibility to tell them they had sent the wrong papers. 7 or 8 years savings gone in twenty minutes of flames.
For this reason I have been silent on the blog front for a couple of months. I wrote one about the bus burning experience. After such a profound share in that blog I was left without much to say to be honest. I mean, where do you go from that?
The turning of the new year provides a marking point in time. Looking back; Looking forward. Like the Roman god Janus. January.
Looking back…. well obviously last year THE bad thing was the bus burning. So to balance that what was THE good thing for 2013? On reflection, there were many. Very many. That makes me smile right there. What a great feeling to match the vulnerability created by the bus burning… the feeling of warmth from realising there were so many ‘goods’.
To choose the biggest ‘good’. I think the biggest ‘good’ is to have managed to successfully push forward the show: Jeremy Farquar, the twisted butler, in “The Fool, the cow and the art of corruption.” This is a deep deep urge in me, and it has been there for a long time. So to be making it a reality and touching audiences, really touching their hearts and informing their heads and inspiring their souls, with the show means a great deal.
Under the umbrella of the show, one of the highlights in 2013 was performing the show in French at Sion Festival des Arts de la Rue.
I speak French, but not fluently. It is not a language I think in. For the performer it is a challenge to be in a foreign language. A challenge which reaps benefits.
Less words. What does that force me to do? To use my body more in the performance. Use my body to feel them, not just the eyes to watch them. But the body to feel the audience as you turn to them. Its a whole other level of physical awareness. No more falling back on generic street performer lines. The piece has to stand for itself more.
I had to find different ways of saying things. Had to create new images. Had to play with only one word sometimes. The essence of the meaning only. How many ways can your tone of voice play with one word? That challenge really opens doors creatively.
To feel an audience come with you even though the language is not perfect is fantastic. Spontaneous applause in the final scene meant even more from a foreign audience. To then have three people say they had come to the show three times in the two days of the festival because they really appreciated the ideas held in the tricks! Briliant.
Stumbling and fumbling for language also gave a reality and vulnerability to the performance. A humanity. In the moment. A weak underbelly which actually pulled the audience closer in a way. Most unexpected.
And of course I also got some fresh footage with which to make a promo video. Please if you know anyone connected in the French speaking world of the arts, show them this link! 🙂
Looking forward to 2014 there are already many ‘goods’. Aswell as a terrific life with a great wife and two brilliant powerful sons….
In January I am training to present for Thermomix. A culinary machine which will help keep us all healthier. Another string to my Passion4Juice bow.
In March I will be training in Laughter Yoga. Clearly wonderful. Another string to my Passion4Laughter bow.
In May I will be training to be an independent wedding celebrant. To help people make a ceremony which is personal and holds true meaning for them. This should be fun and deep at the same time.
And this is before the season’s festivals, both performing and juicing, have been booked in.

On life rolls.
My reflection on glossy magazines? Stay away from them. They only make you feel inadequate.
Its good to be blogging again. Thanks for reading.
Once again, the best of good luck for 2014.